Which place is cheaper, Cologne or Plovdiv?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Plovdiv or Cologne?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Plovdiv and Cologne can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Plovdiv or Cologne?
Plovdiv
Located in a large, hilly plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south of Bulgaria and the Balkan Range in the central part of the country, Plovdiv sits uniquely spread across six hills. It is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world, dating back roughly 8,000 years. Some of its best features are its ancient ruins and historic architecture.
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Bulgaria, The Best Adventure Tours to Bulgaria, The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, and The Best Budget Tours to Germany.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPlovdiv $80Cologne $172
The average daily cost (per person) in Plovdiv is $80, while the average daily cost in Cologne is $172. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Plovdiv and Cologne in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPlovdiv $44Cologne $97
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPlovdiv $88Cologne $194
Compare Hotels in Plovdiv and Cologne
Looking for a hotel in Plovdiv or Cologne? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Plovdiv Hotel Prices and Cologne Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Plovdiv $22Cologne $20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Plovdiv
Also for Plovdiv, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas: $263
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia / vice versa: $148
- Private Transfer from Plovdiv to Varna: $356
- Private Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia (SOF) Airport: $160
- Sofia: Private Transfer from Sofia to Plovdiv OR vice versa: $148
- Transfer Plovdiv to Sofia airport/city with a car 3+1: $98
- Transfer from Pamporovo to Sofia: $98
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Burgas city/airport with sedan/minivan/minibus: $191
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Pamporovo: $89
- Transfer from Plovdiv to Sofia: $104
- Varna: Private Transfer from Varna to Plovdiv: $378
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $109
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
Is it cheaper to fly into Plovdiv or Cologne?
Prices for flights to both Cologne and Plovdiv change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPlovdiv $21Cologne $54
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner$15
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Donner Kebab$4.29
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $481
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Plovdiv $15Cologne $22
Tours and Activities in Plovdiv
For Plovdiv, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Plovdiv Old Town Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Pokémon GO Private Tour of Plovdiv: $17
- Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
- Plovdiv Communist Walking Tour Soviet Landmarks: $20
- Guided Walking Tour: $21
- Plovdiv Private City Walking Tour Old Town & Ancient Stadium: $21
- Plovdiv guided walking tour: $22
- Private Virtual Tour in Plovdiv with a Local Guide: $32
- Food Walk: Bulgarian Food and Culture Tour in Plovdiv: $38
- Plovdiv - Private walking tour: $41
- Walking tour of Plovdiv's top attractions: $55
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 120min - Cologne City Tour: $158
- 3-Hour Cologne Street Art Bike Tour in Small Group with Guide: $44
- 3-Hour Murder Mystery Interactive City Walking Tour in Köln: $75
- 5 Hours Cologne to Aachen Train Tour in Germany: $63
- Aachen Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide: $231
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Aachen old town tour - GERMAN (public): $13
- Amusing Stories of Cologne Walking Tour: $13
- Awesome Sites of Cologne – Private Family Walking Tour: $395
- Beethoven and Bonn Highlights Tour from Cologne by Car: $840
- Best of Cologne in 1-Day Private Guided Tour with Transport: $438
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPlovdiv $9.57Cologne $24
Sample the Local Flavors in Plovdiv
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Plovdiv:
- Chateau Copsa Wine Tasting Tours & Activities: $21
- Plovdiv Exquisite Wine Tasting: $64
- Old Town Exploring Guide Roman Ruins & Wine Tasting: $80
- Thracian Valley wine tasting - private day tour from Plovdiv: $92
- Private Day Trip From Plovdiv To Wine Cellars And Wine Tasting: $108
- From Sofia: Plovdiv and Perushtitsa Tour With Wine Tasting: $134
- Half-Day of Horseback Adventure with Wine Tasting: $168
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Public brewery tour in Cologne in English: $18
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $29
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Plovdiv and Cologne, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Plovdiv much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Plovdiv would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Plovdiv and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Plovdiv.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Plovdiv Expensive? and Is Cologne Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Plovdiv or Cologne?
Cologne has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Plovdiv. When comparing the sizes of Plovdiv and Cologne, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.